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Almost Unreal
| Recorded = March 1993 | Studio = | Venue = | Genre = Pop rock | Length = 3:59 | Label = EMI | Writer = Per Gessle | Producer = Clarence Öfwerman | Prev_title = Fingertips '93 | Prev_year = 1993 | Next_title = Sleeping in My Car | Next_year = 1994 | Misc = }} }} "Almost Unreal" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 10 May 1993 as the lead single from the soundtrack of the 1993 live action adaption of Super Mario Bros., which starred Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper. The song became a top twenty hit in numerous territories, including Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK. It would also be the duo's final top ten hit in both of the latter countries—excluding a re-release of "It Must Have Been Love" two months later. The song proved to be unsuccessful in North America, peaking at number 94 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, although it performed better in Canada where it peaked within the top thirty. Roxette themselves were later dismissive of both the song and the associated movie. It appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their next studio album, Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994), mis-titled "It's Almost Unreal". Background and recording "Almost Unreal" was written by Per Gessle after he was contacted by Walt Disney Pictures about composing the theme song to Bette Midler's upcoming film Hocus Pocus. The song's backing track had already been completed at London's Mayfair Studios in March 1993 when Gessle was informed by Disney that US girlband En Vogue had been invited to record the film's theme song. "Almost Unreal" was then transferred to another Disney project, the live action adaption of the Nintendo game series Super Mario Bros., which was released under the Hollywood Pictures banner. Although hesitant about the project, the duo decided to allow the company to use the song in the film, as they were both fans of Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper. The group re-recorded the lyrics to omit most references to Hocus Pocus, although the title would still remain in the song's chorus, with the lyric: "I love when you do that hocus pocus to me". Marie Fredriksson's vocals were recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm in March 1993, when she was nine months pregnant. Composition and style According to Ultimate Guitar, "Almost Unreal" is a mid-tempo pop rock song composed in the key of E major, and is written in common time with a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute. The intro is composed of two repetitions of an E–B–Asus2 sequence, followed by a further two lines composed of C♯m–B–Asus2. Each verse is composed of variations of a B–G♯m7–E–C♯m–E–A–G♯sus4–G♯ sequence, while the chorus is composed of two repetitions of E–B–A, followed by a C♯m–B–A–F♯ sequence. Roxette were later dismissive of both the song and the film, calling the latter a "flop" and "ridiculous". In the liner notes of the duo's first greatest hits compilation, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, Fredriksson referred to the track as "not one of our most inspired moments", while Gessle said: "I still like the song, in a way... but if you wanted to make a parody of Roxette, it would probably sound something like this." Mike Schiller from PopMatters called the song "awful"; and wrote, "...not only does it sound like corporate pandering, but it's probably the most forced smash-hit wannabe Roxette ever created." Music video The music video was directed by Michael Geoghegan, and stars British actor Nick Pickard as a young man playing a video game in which he's watching parts of the film, as well as various band members performing the song. Formats and track listings All music and lyrics by Per Gessle. * 7" single and cassette (Australia 8806494 · Europe 8806492 · North America 4KM-44942 · UK EM268) # "Almost Unreal" – 3:59 # "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10 * UK exclusive 12" picture disc (12EMPD268) # "Almost Unreal" – 3:59 # "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10 # "Fingertips '93" – 3:42 * CD single (Europe 8806762 · UK CDEM268) # "Almost Unreal" – 3:59 # "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10 # "Fingertips '93" – 3:42 # "Almost Unreal" (AC Mix) – 3:56 Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Ballad Hits. * Recorded at Mayfair Studios, London and Polar Studios, Stockholm in March 1993 * Mixed by Per Gessle, Clarence Öfwerman and Alar Suurna at Mayfair Studios Musicians * Marie Fredriksson – lead and backing vocals * Per Gessle – lead and backing vocals and acoustic guitar * Per "Pelle" Alsing – drums * Vicki Benckert – backing vocals * Anders Herrlin – bass guitar, engineering and programming * Jonas Isacsson – electric guitars * Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming and production * Staffan Öfwerman – backing vocals * Alar Suurna – engineering Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts References External links * Category:1993 singles Category:Roxette songs Category:Songs written by Per Gessle Category:Rock ballads Category:1993 songs Category:EMI Records singles Category:Music videos directed by Michael Geoghegan